Monthly Archives: March 2013

One of the most common questions posed to charter brokers is, “What does, ‘plus all expenses’ mean?”It’s a fair question, and critical to understand the implications, since the cost to arrange a Mediterranean yacht charter holiday is far more than the prices posted on most charter brokers’ websites.

Megayachts – the large, ultra-luxurious vessels that we associate with cruising the Côte d’Azur in the South of France, and docked along the quay in Monte Carlo for Monaco Grand Prix yacht charters – set a rate for the rental of the yacht and the crew, then list the price as, “Plus running expenses.” This simply means that

the charterer pays a set price for the yacht, and is also responsible to cover ALL costs associated with the operation of the yacht while the charterer and his/her guests are onboard.

Typical running expenses incurred during a charter are food, beverages, dockage, and fuel.

Depending upon the size of the yacht and the charterer’s penchant for elaborate menus, extended cruising, and vintage alcohols, these running expenses can vary greatly from yacht to yacht, and from charterer to charterer.

You might ask, “When and how do you pay for these expenses, especially since it is hard to itemize them prior to the conclusion of the trip?” Enter the concept of the “Advance Provisioning Allowance.”

The Advance Provisioning Allowance, or “APA” for short, is a deposit paid by the charterer and collected by the yacht’s skipper prior to the commencement of the superyacht holiday. These funds are held by the skipper and dispersed during the course of the charter to cover the ongoing running expenses as they occur.

During the charter, the captain will provide a running account of the usage of the funds and, at the conclusion of the voyage, the captain will present an itemized accounting of expenses to the charterer, along with the refund of any unused funds.

If the APA balance runs low during the charter, the client is expected to provide the captain a sufficient amount in cash to cover the needs for the remainder of the charter. Many charterers prefer not to carry quantities of cash, and their charter broker can hold additional funds and release them, via bank wire transfer, to the captain as needed.Before you book your yacht charter, ask your broker to give you a solid estimate of the running expenses that might be incurred. Your broker will take into account the food and beverage preferences you have requested, along with how much cruising you wish to do (which will determine the amount, and anticipated cost, of fuel needed), to come up with an estimate of your expenses.

There are numerous variables to estimating running expenses, and the computation is best tabulated by your broker and the yacht’s skipper; for example, depending upon local market availability in your desired cruising ground, food prices may vary greatly from your hometown. Dockage can range from no fees when anchored away from shore, to thousands of dollars per day, when docked at exclusive marinas. For special events, like Cannes Film Festival yacht charters, dockage can run two to three times the standard rate. Fuel costs are important to estimate as well, and can skyrocket depending upon how fast and how far you cruise.

Editor’s note – fuel is also charged for the yacht’s generators when not connected to shore power, as well as for tenders and water toys (so you’ll pay for the fuel used while zipping around on the waverunners).

As a general rule of thumb, the APA requested for sailing yachts is approx 20% of the yacht’s listed charter price, and for motoryachts, the average APA jumps to 30-40%Here’s an example of the anticipated total cost of a proposed Italian yacht charter vacation for a fictitious client and nine guests for one week on a 180 foot Trinity yacht charter vessel:

Motor Yacht Rental € 350,000

Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA)* 122,500

Total Cost € 472,500

*estimated at 35% by the charter broker

after discussing the charterer’s preferences

as to food, drinks, and desired itinerary.

In actuality, there is most likely one more variable in terms of the actual cost of a charter – the “optional” crew gratuity. Gratuities for exceptional service are routine in the charter industry, and charterers who believe in tipping should remember to budget for this optional expense.

In February we added the brand new 33 meter catamaran yacht QUARANTA to our website, in anticipation of her launch and christening.

We are proud to report motor yacht QUARANTA, thelargest carbon hybrid composite power catamaran in the world,was successfully launched in February.

At 3.30am, the Turkish-built superyacht was pulled from her Tuzla shipyard shed on to the public road by a huge trailer. From there, she was towed 3 kilometers to the RMK shipyard for launching.

The following day, on Sunday morning at 10:45am, the yacht was officially christened and launched.

The vessel features a flexible layout. Six double cabins offer room for 12 guests, and be converted into three VIP suites, six twins, doubles, or any combination thereof. All guest cabins are located on the main deck and fitted with large windows.

Interior and exterior styling was provided by UK's Lila Lou Studios, with Incat Crowther serving as the naval architects.

With four decks and a nine (9) meter beam, the catamaran provides nearly 50 per cent more space than a comparable 30 meter monohull.

She is available this summer for Eastern Mediterranean yacht charter vacations at a rate of €125,000 per week, plus all expenses.

A similar vessel, the Sunreef 70 power catamaran DAMRAK II is also available for hire in the Mediterranean in the summer months.

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To the delight of Lurssen yacht charter fans everywhere, the owner of motor yacht MARTHA ANN has agreed to position the 70 meter superyacht in the Adriatic as of 1 June 2013. At this writing, the yacht will return to the Western Mediterranean for a booking in mid-July.

Rarely do the world's largest yachtsventure from the standard and uber-popular Western Med cruising grounds such as the Amalfi Coast and the south of France.

Lürssen yacht MARTHA ANNis maintained to a high standard inside and out. Many recent upgrades include the purchase of 2 new SeaDoo GTX 260’s and the addition of a 44 foot / 13.41 meter Nautica towed tender.

We received an update today from Sioned Williams, one of the yacht owner's assistants:

"Heading ever further south, with temperatures dropping and the number of icebergs sighted increasing daily, SHERAKHANarrived in Grytviken yesterday. Having been cleared in by customs, and all on board received the South Georgia stamp in their passports, the guests and crew visited the local museum in Grytviken where they met all the locals – all 20 of them!"

While in South Georgia, the charter guests and crew were treated to what Williams described as, "…having witnessed the awesome sight of a colony of around half a million King Penguins and thousands of fur seals on the beach."

Next stop on the itinerary – the superyacht is now cruising towards St. Andrew’s Bay, making way towards the Antarctic Sounds.

Motor yacht Sherakhan offers accommodations for up to 26 passengers in thirteen staterooms. She is available from March 1, in Ushuaia or the Falklands. Panama yacht charter and Costa Rica yacht charter vacations are also available beginning in late March, as the vessel heads north to the Caribbean.

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As popular as Caribbean yacht charter vacations are to American tourists, the Italian coastline draws far more visitors annually, for both land and sea holidays.

The most famous stretch of coastline in Italy, and perhaps in all of Europe, is the Amalfi Coast, which stretches south from the peninsula of Sorrento. Here you will find quaint fishing villages along a ragged-mountain cliffline, bordered by the clear, azure sea.

Amalfi Coast yacht charters take place along the northern end of the Bay of Naples, and often encompass the volcanic island of Ischia, as well as nearby Capri.

One of the most popular destinations while enjoying an Italy yacht charter is the town of Positano. It seems for decades artists, rock stars, actors, and novelists have flocked here. Here, you can climb the fabled narrow streets to visit one of the local designer showrooms and elegant boutiques, where clothes and sandals are made to order.

The city of Positano, Italy is located in the province of Salerno, and the region of Campania. The location coordinates on a map are: 40° 38′N 14°29′Eï»¿

Positano is 17km (10 miles) west of Amalfi; 51km (101 miles) west of Salerno; and 56km (35 miles) southeast of Naples.

The closest airport, suitable for private jets and regional commercial carriers is the Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (IATA: QSR, ICAO: LIRI), located in the municipality of Pontecagnano Faiano.

Many spectacular yachts will be cruising the Amalfi Coast. One impressive and elegant example is motoryacht CHECKMATE, a Benetti luxury yacht new to the charter market.

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It seems the commonly-used term, "Able-bodied seaman" might need to be amended to, "seaman and seawoman" to reflect what might become a trend in the yachting industry – the emergence of female captains on mega yacht charter vessels.

In an industry long dominated by men, a handful of skilled women are stepping to the forefront and taking the helm, and the responsibility, of operating both sail and motor yachts for hire.

According to Jana Sheeder, President of SailAway Yacht Charters, today's yacht owners look beyond gender when hiring a skipper. "Megayacht owners look for experience and professionalism, first and foremost," says Sheeder. "Skippers must be experts in navigation and safety, and considering many yachts have large crew complements, they must be equally-adept at personnel management. A skilled captain is a multi-talented person, regardless of gender. Hiring the best and brightest is the goal."

Yawn has recently taken the helm on Mangusta motor yacht DEFIANCE, a stunning 72' speedster currently available for Bahamas and Florida yacht charters. Yawn brings years of experience to her new position onboard DEFIANCE, and was the former captain of the 148 foot motor yachts TUSCAN SUN and 142 foot yacht, LADY J.

De Vere leads a crew of 12 onboard the 163 foot Caribbean yacht charter vessel, MARY JEAN. De Vere earned her stripes crewing at her family's daysail business in Australia, as well as operating luxury live-aboard dive vessels on the Northern Great Barrier Reef.

Before the sale of the 143 foot Heeson motor yacht SEDATION, Benbrook was the skipper of the popular Virgin Island yacht charter vessel for three years. In a 2010 interview with yachting journalist Kim Kavin, Benbrook was asked how it feels to be one of the only female

motoryacht captains. "I think there are five or six of us now on motoryachts. I think it's fine. People respect me. I've never had any problems," she said.

Is there added pressure on these women to be their gender's pathfinders in the yachting industry?

Benbrook doesn't think so and says the real pressure is on the ship's mate. "It's harder, actually, as a first mate. There's more prejudice there. You have to be physically strong as a first mate to move lines and such. It's different than being a captain, where there's absolutely no strength involved. It's all about moving levers at the helm."

We wonder – will we ever see the ranks of women skippers swell and match the number of male captains at the helm of yacht charter vessels? Are yacht owners truly open to hiring, "the best and brightest?"

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If you think owners of multi-million dollar luxury yacht charter vessels are selfish and self-absorbed, this story might surprise you.

One of the largest yachtsin charter, the nearly 200ft motor yacht SEAWOLF, just delivered humanitarian aid in Panama – validating the trend of luxury yacht owners getting involved with global aid efforts.

The 193 foot luxury mega yacht charter motor yacht SEAWOLF is the second of two large, high-profile superyachts bringing aid to the Islas Secas area of Panama. An expedition yacht charter vessel, M/Y SEAWOLF delivered supplies for underprivileged residents at Islas Secas on March 4, just two weeks after motor yacht LADY LOLA delivered aid to the same location in mid February.

The 62 meter Oceanco yacht LADY LOLA, well-known throughout the Caribbean yacht charter marketplace, was first to deliver school aid from Panama City to the Islas Secas area of western Panama in the Gulfo Chiriqui.

We would like to extend a hearty thank you to the captains, crews and owners of both yachts for acting as a catalyst to inspire others to do good things.

Perhaps such altruistic actions will help change the perception of the superyacht industry.

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Q: "Our family is considering a Virgin Islands yacht charter vacation this winter. We are interested in "Green" travel opportunities and seeing destinations that focus on environmental sustainability. How can we analyze a destination's commitment to sustainable tourism?"

But the industry's efforts are only half of the equation. The destinations and their commitment to their residents' well-being and the protection of the environment are crucial for long term sustainability.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) serves as the international body for fostering increased knowledge and understanding of sustainable tourism practices. When planning a sustainable vacation, the GSTC suggests these criteria:

â–ºTourism management strategy– Does the destination show that they care and implement strategies for its local economy, environment (including climate change) and social/cultural factors?

â–ºLocal community benefits and economic opportunity – Does the destination track and report its local economic contributions; provide equal employment and training opportunities and extend opportunities to those who live in poverty?

â–ºVisitor management policies – Does the destination have policies designed to conserve key attractions and landscapes? Do visitors receive direction so as to not destroy of natural and cultural assets?

You mentioned the possibility of a yachting vacation in the Virgin Islands. Based on the criteria stated above, we would suggest contacting the official tourism offices for both the US Virgin Islandsand the British Virgin Islands, and pose the GSTC questions to them. Hopefully, their answers will demonstrate a commitment to green and sustainable tourism in the islands…

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Poor Leo. After being snubbed by the Oscar voters, the "Django Unchained" star was hard at work, toiling away like the rest of us 9 to 5 lunch-pailers.

Well…maybe "toiling" is not the right word.

DiCaprio, who skipped the Academy Awards ceremony, was seen lounging on a docked yacht in southern California on Monday, surrounded by bikini-clad women.

The actor went without a nomination for his work in Django, but co-star Christoph Waltz picked up the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while director Quentin Tarantino snared an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Leo was onboard, reshooting scenes for his upcoming movie, "The Wolf of Wall Street." Sporting white linen pants, sunglasses, and a slicked-back 80's hairstyle, the 38 year-old actor portrays real-life stockbroker, Jordan Belfort, in the Martin Scorsese film about Belfort and his role in the Wall Street fraud case in the 1980's.

Five women in bathing suits joined Leo on the yacht for the re-shoot, including co-star Margot Robbie, dressed in an eye-catching gold one-piece bathing suit with a plunging neckline. Robbie plays Belfort's wife, Nadine.

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Q: "I've heard crewed catamaran charters in the BVI are ideal for guests who like to dive. Other than the typical 'touristy' dive sites, can you suggest anywhere I should consider?"

A: "Ahoy, E. – TheBritish Virgin Islands(BVI) are famous for their idyllic island beauty, and are considered the top luxury yacht charter destination in the world. However, few charterers are aware that the BVI are a fantastic diving destination as well."

There are numerous wrecks, both old and new, in the BVI, with one of the most famous being the RMS Rhone, a royal mail ship that sank in a hurricane in 1867. Movie fans are familiar with the Rhone as the location for most of the underwater scenes in the film, "The Deep."

When it comes to more remote dive sites, dives around the more exposed Cooper Island andCarvel Rockare rarer and more challenging, and can only be undertaken by experienced divers and if weather conditions are very calm. If the conditions are right, divers taking the plunge from the east side of Cooper Island at Dry Rocks East will be rewarded with sightings of scores of marine life. Expect to see Horse-eye Jacks, African Pompano, Spadefish, Cobia, Nurse sharks and if you're a little lucky – Hawksbill turtles.

In the same area the

Devil’s Kitchen is a shelf, which progressively becomes more undercut with the rock structure forming a unique lattice with numerous hideouts for reef fish, turtles, and lobsters.